


Ink of the Last Spark

by Adders



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Beta Peter Hale, Bottom Stiles Stilinski, Caring Derek Hale, Caring Peter Hale, Dom Peter Hale, Dom/sub, Eventual Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski/Peter Hale, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fox Stiles Stilinski, Hurt Stiles Stilinski, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Rough Sex, Self-Harm, Sex Magic, Soulmates, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Spirit World, Stiles Stilinski is Pushed Out of the Pack, Suicidal Thoughts, Threesome - M/M/M, Top Peter Hale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:26:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adders/pseuds/Adders
Summary: Everybody thought Stiles was helpless. Kicked out of the Pack, Stiles finds his powers in the depths of his depression and proves everyone wrong.
Relationships: Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Cora Hale/Isaac Lahey, Derek Hale/Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Lydia Martin/Jackson Whittemore, Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski, sterek - Relationship, steter
Comments: 17
Kudos: 277





	1. Chapter 1

**AN: TW- self harm, referenced suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, psych wards.** If this story may trigger you, please do not read. Heed the warnings please.

* * *

The Pack was struggling without Stiles. Derek had worked hard to kick him out, concerned for his safety after several close calls. He didn’t have Allison’s fighting skills and Danny was only allowed because he was Ethan’s partner and actively stayed out of harm’s way.

Stiles was the one human with no self preservation, and Derek couldn’t take the chance of his mate getting hurt. He had known the boy was his mate as soon as he saw him, but he was not willing to impact Stiles’ life by tying him down. The only problem was that Stiles was notoriously stubborn and every effort to push him out resulted in him pushing back.

It was only after Derek got the rest of the Pack to ignore Stiles that the teen began to get the message he was not welcome anymore. They ignored him in school and stopped inviting him to Pack meetings, acting as if he didn’t exist or they didn’t see him.

It ended with Stiles showing up to the newly rebuilt Hale manor one day and having an explosive meltdown when he saw everyone was there without him. They’d never seen Stiles even raise his voice and they’d be lying if they said they weren’t completely shocked as he screamed at them. Stiles desperately looked to Scott and Isaac, hoping the two closest people to him would support him, but they wouldn’t even look at him.

Stiles stormed out, slamming the door behind him and getting in his car, peeling out of the driveway as fast as his broken Jeep would go.

Peter showed up later, red in the face and furious about how they had treated Stiles.

“I actually have no idea what to say,” Peter shook his head. “You honestly think this is the best way to keep him safe? He’s a danger to himself now!”

“He’ll be fine in a couple days,” Derek said.

“You took away his best friends, the people he considers family,” P scowled, “the only support he has besides his father and I.”

“Well, if he has you, he’ll get over it,” Derek said bitterly.

“ _ That’s  _ what this is about?” Peter raised his brows. “You’re upset about how close he and I are?”

“No, it’s the fact that Stiles puts himself in danger,” Derek snarled.

“Stiles is smarter than anyone gives him credit for, Derek. He knew how to take care of himself in situations. He never actually got hurt, but he’s a mess now,” Peter said.

“Peter, enough. He’ll eventually get over it,” Derek slammed his hand down on the table, making almost everybody jump.

There were so many things Peter wanted to say, but he simply turned around and left, not willing to leave Stiles alone any longer.

Stiles stopped showing up at school and when Scott asked Coach Finnick, he seemed surprised that he didn’t know Stiles was doing online classes instead. Their classrooms felt boring and empty without Stiles’ boisterous personality constantly interrupting.

The Pack didn’t feel the same without him. They couldn’t translate texts half as fast as he did since his side hobby was learning dead languages. There was no one to lighten the mood during serious situations and Isaac seemed totally lost without Stiles who had acted like a mother to him.

His absence hit hard, but they thought it was for the best. They asked Peter about him whenever he showed up, but the older wolf divulged very little information. He was obviously telling Stiles about the monsters they were hunting as Peter would bring back stacks of notes in Stiles’ handwriting.

They were looking for a creature that was leaving bodies without bones all over the city. They couldn’t find anything about it in any of the lore they had access to.

“What does Stiles think it is?” Aiden asked Peter.

“I haven’t shown him any of this,” Peter said.

“Why not?” Ethan asked.

“Stiles is in Eichen House,” Peter sucked his teeth unhappily.

“Eichen House? The mental hospital?” Jackson asked.

“Uh huh,” Peter took a deep breath.

“What happened?” Scott questioned concernedly.

“I told you guys, he was a danger to himself,” Peter said, “things got really bad and he was committed a few days ago.”

“Have you seen him since then?” Isaac asked, looking on the verge of tears.

“He’s on suicide watch,” Peter shook his head, “no visitors allowed. I talked to him on the phone though. He’s not doing well even though they have him totally loaded up on medications and sedatives.”

For the next several weeks, Stiles was in and out of Eichen House and Peter looked very tired. Scott visited Stiles’ dad, who wasn’t exactly warm and welcoming towards him, angry at the Pack for driving Stiles out. He blamed them for the reason Stiles was in the hospital.

Peter stopped answering questions about Stiles, telling them it wasn’t any of their business anymore. They asked John, but he said he hadn’t had contact with Stiles for a while. He was no longer in Eichen House, but John had no idea where he was and only got updates by random phone calls and Peter.

After a little while more than three months, the Pack was begging Derek to get Stiles back. Derek would be lying if he said he didn’t miss his mate painfully and after much internal debate, he finally relented.

“We need Stiles back,” Derek told Peter. “Can I talk to him?”

“That’s kinda difficult to do,” Peter said.

“Why?” Kira asked.

“Stiles is… well, I don’t know exactly  _ where  _ he is. He just comes and goes whenever he wants,” Peter shrugged.

“What do you mean?” Kira pried further.

“Deaton can explain it better,” Peter said, pulling out his phone and dialing the number.

_ “Hello?”  _ Deaton answered.

“You’re on speaker. The Pack wants to know where Stiles is,” Peter said.

_ “Do any of you know what a Spark is?”  _ Deaton questioned.

“They were a kind of warlock,” Allison said, “they went extinct.”

_ “Correct,”  _ Deaton said,  _ “they were the most powerful magickal creatures to ever exist, but they died out thousands of years ago.” _

“What does this have to do with Stiles?” Derek asked.

_ “It seems they are no longer extinct,”  _ Deaton said.  _ “Stiles noticed some strange things happening before he was outed from the group. While he was in Eichen House, a mark appeared on him. It confirmed what I had suspected. Most Sparks come into their powers around the age of six, but some experience delays; in Stiles’ case, over a decade.” _

“You’re saying  _ Stiles _ , defenseless, human,  **Stiles** , is some kind of powerful being that went extinct?” Derek asked.

_ “Yes,”  _ Deaton said, matter-of-factly.

“So, where is he?” Allison asked.

_ “He didn’t have anyone to help him control his powers. I’m just a mage, there was only so much I could teach him. It was too dangerous for him to stay in the human world,”  _ Deaton said,  _ “he’s currently somewhere in the spirit world.” _

“He’s dead?!” Isaac asked panickedly.

_ “No, no, he’s fine,”  _ Deaton said quickly,  _ “he’s figured out how to travel between here and there.” _

“Is there any way to call him here?” Erica asked.

_ “Peter can through their bond,”  _ Deaton said.

“Bond?” Derek frowned.

Deaton went silent, unsure of what to say.

“Mating bond,” Peter said and Derek’s stomach dropped.

“He’s  _ my  _ mate,” Derek said.

“Wait, what?” Scott asked confusedly, trying to keep up with what was happening.

“He’s my mate  _ and  _ your mate,” Peter said, “he’s one of those people who are double bonded. At least he  _ should  _ be, but you rejected him.”

“For his safety,” Derek said angrily and heard the phone tone as Deaton hung up.

“Well, he doesn’t need protection now,” Peter shrugged, putting his phone back in his pocket.

“Call him here,” Derek demanded.

“I am right now, he’s saying no,” Peter shook his head.

“Why?” Lydia asked.

“He’s mad at you guys,” Peter looked at them like they were stupid, “you kicked him out when he needed you most.”

“Tell him we want to apologize,” Boyd suggested.

“He says he needs time to think,” Peter said after a moment.

“How much time?” Erica asked, “it’s been months.”

“It takes as long as it takes.”


	2. Chapter 2

**TW:** mention of attempted suicide and self harm.

* * *

A few weeks passed with no word from Stiles until some of the Pack became a target from a kind of creature whose preferred meal was werewolves. At first, Peter gave them all protection sachets Stiles made, but soon he was saying they needed to go to the spirit world for their safety.

Peter led them to an old tree stump and passed out necklaces that had the same amulet as the one he’d been wearing around his neck.

“These will keep anything from latching onto you on the way to his hiding sport. Don’t take them off, no matter what. Stay in the bubble Stiles makes and do not touch anything. Do not distract him or he won’t be able to hide our energies,” Peter said, “do  _ whatever  _ he tells you to, understand?”

They all nodded, putting on the amulets. After some time, a ripple began to form over the stump.

“You might feel sick when you go through,” Peter warned and got on the stump, guiding them each through.

One by one they stepped in and Derek felt the world tilt around him, stretching and shrinking his body. He was blinded by bright lights followed by complete darkness and he fell to his hands and knees when he finally felt solid ground beneath him. He retched violently just like the others, but nothing came up.

It took him a moment to register the soft moss-like plant under him that was glowing blue wherever he touched it. He looked up and his jaw nearly dropped when he saw Stiles.

The teen was standing and talking to Peter. His eyes were glowing gold as were the runes and symbols tattooed on his arms and neck. He was far more muscular since the last time Derek had seen him, his hair grown out. He stood confidently, unlike his anxious demeanor before.

Obviously, Derek was not the only one surprised by his appearance. Isaac launched himself at Stiles, hugging him tightly, but the shorter boy didn’t hug back.

“Don’t distract him,” Peter reminded Isaac.

Derek looked around and saw the gold bubble surrounding them. Beyond it were dark shaped that filled his stomach with unnerving dread. Stiles waited until everyone stopped feeling sick and was standing before they began to walk.

“How far are we going?” Cora asked as they started uphill through tangled trees and firefly-like creatures that helped light their way.

“It’s pretty far, but you won’t sweat,” Peter said, “you stay exactly the same as you came, that’s why I told you not to bring any extra clothes or food.”

Stiles was quiet the whole time, one arm held up to keep the force field around them. At one point, something threw itself against it, sharp teeth gnashing. Stiles flicked his wrist like he was shooing it away and the creature went flying, thrown by an invisible force.

It felt like they were walking for hours before they finally came to a rock wall covered in vines. Stiles put his hand against it and it began to crack, spreading apart to create a small tunnel.

“In,” Stiles said, the very first word he had spoken.

They each shuffled through until they entered a clearing that looked vastly different from where they were before. It seemed like something out of a movie. There was bright green grass with a big garden and a cottage with a little stream next to it. The rock closed behind them and Stiles led them up the step stone path.

The garden was filled with plants and flowers they had never seen before. Stiles opened the door to the cottage and let them in. It was small on the outside but incredibly roomy on the inside and filled with drying herbs and old books. It smelled like spices and earth and it felt like home to Derek.

“Who are they?” a deep voice asked.

They looked around the room and noticed a creature sitting in the window that looked slightly cat-esque. It had black fur but webbed feet with giant claws and a long leathery flat tail. Its empty eye sockets and teeth that extended past its short muzzle made them all uneasy.

“You know who they are,” Stiles said to it.

“Yes, and it displeases me greatly,” the thing said.

“That’s Obsidian,” Peter told them, “don’t try to pet him without his permission or he’ll spike you. Selenite is much nicer, you can pet her whenever you want. She’s somewhere around here.”

“I need to talk to you,” Derek said to Stiles.

“Not right now,” Stiles shook his head. “Sel,” he called out and the same creature as Obsidian walked out, her white fur a complete contrast to him. “Can you show everyone to their rooms, please?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice soft and even, “follow me, please.”

The Pack followed her down a long hallway that shouldn’t have possibly existed in such a tiny place. She directed them to each of their rooms.

“When do you think I’ll be able to talk to Stiles,” Derek asked when he was the only one left.

“I can feel his pain,” Selenite said, “he’s hurting very badly, but he still has training with his teachers soon.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to repair our relationship?” Derek questioned.

“Stiles is not the same person you know,” she said, “his magick is fueled by emotions and he’s struggling to control himself. You have to understand, he needed support from the ones he considered his family only to have them turn him away. It’s going to take a long time to recover.”

“I want to make it right,” Derek said.

“Good,” Selenite nodded, “but right now, he needs space. I’ll talk to him after practice and see if he’s ready to speak.”

“Thank you,” Derek said, “I appreciate it.”

“There’s some entertainment things in that bookshelf over there and a television there,” she pointed with her tail.

“TV works in the spirit world?” Derek asked.

“Stiles makes it work,” she said, “time passes differently here, he gets bored in his downtime when Peter isn’t here.”

“There’s no sun but it looks like daylight outside,” the Alpha said.

“Stiles controls it,” Selenite said, “he missed sunrises and human things, so he created his own world here.”

“He’s really  _ that  _ powerful?”   


“You have no idea,” she said, “I served Sparks in my living days thousands of years ago. I’ve never come across one so powerful who learns so quickly.”

“I thought he couldn’t take care of himself,” Derek shook his head.

“Eventually, he’ll understand you only had his best intentions in mind,” she came to him and brushed against him comfortingly. He gave her a couple rubs and admired her soft fur.

Derek looked at the bookshelf when Selenite left and found all of his favourite novels and ones he had been planning on reading. He wondered how on earth Stiles knew what he wanted.

After some time, he left his room and went to the living room where Peter was sitting and talking to Obsidian.

“Where’s Stiles?” he asked.

“Training,” Peter said.

“Outside?” Derek questioned.

“Out of this area,” Obsidian said, “he’s outside the wall.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Derek asked.

Obsidian chuckled deeply. “The creatures here are usually smart enough to stay away from him. He can handle himself.”

“He’ll probably be tired when he comes back though. He usually is,” Peter said, “don’t be surprised if he just goes and takes a nap to recharge.”

Derek didn’t bother to hide his disappointment, and it obviously rubbed Obsidian the wrong way. 

“You don’t even deserve to talk to him,” he said, hackles raising, “after everything you put him through, you think you have the right to speak with him?”

“Obi, calm down,” Stiles’ voice rang from the door. He looked worn down and the dark runes he had were a light red instead.

“How was it?” Peter asked.

“I’m still having some trouble with fire, but I’ve got all the other elemental stuff down,” he said rubbing his eyes.

“Didn’t you just start elements?” Peter questioned.

“Yeah,” Stiles said, “Jethro and Clarissa think I’ll master it next time and then we’ll start with summoning.”

“Demon summoning?” Derek asked.

“Among other things,” Stiles nodded. He avoided looking in Derek’s direction. “Obi, can you get the healing tincture, please?”

Obsidian got up, glaring at Derek and jumped up onto one of the counters, looking at the various bottles before wrapping his tail around one and bringing it to the chair Stiles collapsed in.

“Thank you,” Stiles said when Obsidian held it out for him.

Stiles pulled out the cork and took a sip, cringing at the taste.

Peter turned on the television as Obsidian came back to his spot in the window. Stiles’ runes began to return to their proper colour as he continued to drink the potion.

“What do they all mean?” Derek asked, pointing at the tattoos.

“Most are just to help stabilize my powers,” Stiles said, “some are for healing, others are for protection.”

“Where do you get them?” Derek asked, “I can’t imagine there are tattoo parlours around here.”

“They’re actually branded into my skin with this,” Stiles held up a carved metal wand with some kind of crystal on top. “If you do it enough times, the become permanent.”

“So they’re burns?” Derek questioned.

“Yeah, this is what it looks like when they’re new,” he raised his arm and showed an area that had bright red marks.

“Does it hurt?” Derek asked.

“When I do it it does,” Stiles said, “it’s a dull ache for a little while after.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek blurted out, catching Stiles by surprise. “All I wanted was to protect you.”

“I know,” Stiles said, “but you turned my family against me.”

“I didn’t know how else to make you leave,” Derek said, “you were so stubborn, you wouldn’t have left if it was just me pushing you.”

“Don’t turn this on him like it was his fault,” Obsidian spat.

“We’re both at fault,” Stiles said, “I acknowledge that I put myself in danger and he apologized about how he handled it.

“You tried to take your own life because of him,” the creature said.

“Obsidian, that’s enough,” Stiles snapped sharply, “go find Sel.”

“I’m trying to protect you,” Obsidian got up, “it’s my duty as a familiar.”

“I appreciate it, but I can handle this,” Stiles softened, reaching out and waiting for him to approach so he could pet him.

Obsidian padded out of the room, leaving the three of them alone.

“How can I make it up to you?” Derek asked.

“You apologized,” Stiles said, “I just need a bit more time to get myself stable.”

“Having his other mate would help with that,” Peter piped up.

“Well, I’m here now,” Derek said.

“You can’t stay in this world for very long. This place wasn’t meant for anyone who is part human,” Stiles shook his head.

“So, you’re not human at all?” Derek questioned confusedly.

“No,” Stiles said, “I’m completely made of magick. I only have a human form when I want to.”

“When you want to?” Derek’s brows furrowed.

“I can choose what I want to be, kinda like a shapeshifter. It’s difficult to do anything other than my spirit form which is a fox, but soon I’ll be able to shift easily,” Stiles said, “I don’t know what my true form looks like yet though.”

“What do you do during training?” Derek asked.

“We go out to a specific area where the things here don’t usually go. It’s away from the Gods territories,” Stiles said, “I don’t want to accidentally hurt innocent spirits or any plants and anger them. We have a bit of a strained relationship since I was with humans for so long.”

"They don’t like humans?"   


“Not at all,” Stiles said, “most of them ruled forests that were destroyed by humans. They’re not too thrilled I brought you guys here, but I promised you wouldn’t cause any trouble.”

“We won’t,” Derek said.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** TW for self harm and talk of suicide attempts

* * *

“Do you know how long it’s gonna take to figure out the situation in the real world?” Derek asked.

“Oh, I’m taking care of that,” Stiles said nonchalantly.

“What do you mean?” Derek questioned.

“I have a very good relationship with the Fay,” Stiles said, “some of them have truces with hunters and let them know the things going after you were on the loose. They’re being tracked now and the Fay will let me know when you can go back.”

“Will you come visit us?”

“It’s too dangerous for me to be in the human world. I could lose control and hurt someone,” Stiles said.

“Would I be able to visit here?” Derek frowned.

“It’s tough on the body to travel here,” Stiles said, “Peter only comes once a week.”

“I can do that,” Derek said.

“Can you get along with Peter on the way here?” Stiles raised a brow.

Derek hesitated for a moment before nodding, “yeah. I can. How long are you gonna be here? Are you ever gonna come back to the human world?”

“I will eventually,” Stiles said, “I need to work more on grounding and centering. Mood swings don’t pair well with magick.”

“Do you think a phone would work here?” Derek asked, “you got the television working and I know your dad misses you.”

“Yeah, I’m working on that,” Stiles said, “I’m trying to set up a way to communicate. I don’t think I could get a phone to work, but I’m trying to make rings or bracelets with communication runes.”

He went silent when the Pack cautiously walked in. Selenite jumped into his lap, rubbing against him comfortingly.

“Stiles, we owe you an apology,” Scott said.

“At the time, we thought it was the best thing for you,” Cora said.

Stiles scoffed a laugh, “do you understand how bad it hurt to be cut out like that? Completely ignored like I didn’t exist?”   


“We’re sorry,” Isaac said quietly, “so, so sorry. Please, I just want my Pack mom back.”

“I’m not helpless,” Stiles said after a tense moment of silence, “I wasn’t back then either, but I’m certainly not now.”

“We know,” Kira said, “Deaton and Selenite told us everything.”

“I can’t come back yet,” Stiles said, “I’m not fully in control.”

“We understand and you can take as long as you need,” Laura said, “we’ll support you however we can.”

Stiles didn’t look totally convinced but he nodded anyways. “You guys wouldn’t really get hungry here, but if anyone wants food, there’s some in the kitchen,” Stiles pointed, “don’t touch the jars though.”

“What’s in them?” Jackson asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Peter said.

Some of them went through the food options, staying far away from the jars full of mysterious items and sealed with wax.

Stiles was in the middle of a sentence when he suddenly stopped.

“I can feel someone trying to get through the wards, who is it?” he asked Obsidian.

“It’s Rojan and Maya,” the creature responded.

“Oh, good,” Stiles got up, “I’ll go talk to them.”

“Who are they?” Allison asked.

“Fair folk,” Selenite said, “they’re here to let us know if you are safe to return to your world.”

“We only just got here a couple hours ago. Why couldn’t we have stayed there if they were so fast?” Scott questioned.

“It’s been almost two days in the human world,” Stiles said.

“What?” they gawked at him.

“I told you, time is different here,” Stiles shrugged as he walked to the door. “I’ll be right back.”

Some time later, Stiles returned, ignoring the complaining from Lydia that she would have to rush her homework.

“You can go back now,” he said, “the trek to the portal is easier than on the way here. The only issue is there are more spirits active right now. It’s  _ imperative  _ that you stay close to me. The shield is gonna be tighter so it’s more powerful.”

“We’ll stay close,” Derek assured.

“I don’t want to do this, but I’m concerned, so I’m gonna give you the option and you decide,” Stiles said, “I can either do just the bubble and hope nothing detects you, or I could draw runes on you that will make sure you stay safe. They work in the human world too to stop possessions if you get exposed to evil spirits for a while.”

“Why do you not want to do that?” Kira asked.

“They hurt,” Stiles said, “it’s like carving your skin with a burning knife. Honestly, the wolves are more at risk here than humans because the supernatural attracts the supernatural.”

“Maybe just the wolves in the Pack then,” Derek said, “would it impact our healing abilities?”

“Runes take a little longer to heal, but it’s not too bad. It just hurts while you’re getting them,” Stiles said.

“It’s not horrible,” Peter showed his arm, “I already have one. It hurts like a bitch, but healed fine.”

“I’ll go first,” Derek said.

Stiles pulled the metal wand from his boot and told Derek to sit down. His eyes and runes glowed gold and the crystal tip lit up.

Derek cringed as it scorched his skin, sinking deep into the flesh and burning him. He struggled to control his breathing through the pain and wondering how Stiles could go through this regularly.

Stiles got it done quickly but it felt like forever. One by one, each of the werewolves and Kira sat in the chair and cried out in pain. When they were all done, Stiles drew several of them on himself with a completely straight face.

“Does that not hurt you?” Cora asked.

“It does, I’m just used to it,” Stiles said as he drew one on his palm where there were others already.

Stiles led them down to the rock wall, opening it up and going first. He formed the forcefield and waited until they were all in before closing the entrance.

Immediately, they noticed the difference outside. There were terrifying creatures in every direction they looked. Stiles’ shield gently pushed through them, trying not to startle them.

The Pack walked cautiously slow, Stiles making sure no one was too far away. There were several close calls with people’s feet almost stepping outside the boundaries. After a long, agonizing, anxiety fueled hike, they made it to their destination without incident.

Stiles opened the portal, ushering them in quickly as it began to attract some attention. Derek hesitated and hugged him tightly, kissing his forehead before following Ethan.

The portal back wasn’t as bad but they were still a little nauseous. It took them a second to regain their composure. Peter was the first one up, used to the turbulent journey.

“Do you think he’s gonna make it back safe?” Allison asked, “there were a lot of things there.”

“He’s the most powerful thing there,” Peter said, “he doesn’t have to use that shield when it’s just him. Even the Gods know not to mess with him.”

“It’s still not really registered that  _ Stiles  _ of all people is the one who ended up being the strongest,” Laura said.

“I’m having trouble believing it too,” Scott said, “I mean, it’s  **Stiles** we’re talking about.”

“Don’t underestimate him anymore,” Peter warned, “he’s not one to be messed with.”

“It must get lonely for him being there by himself,” Lydia said.

“He talks to me through our bond a lot when he’s not training,” Peter said, “he’s not very social anymore. I mean, he wasn’t very social to begin with, but especially not now.”

“Those cat things were creepy,” Jackson wrinkled his nose.

“They take a little getting used to,” Peter nodded, “they’re usually nice. They can tell who or what is trying to get through the wards around the cottage.”

“Does that happen often?” Boyd asked.

“Not really, only once in a while. Nothing has ever successfully gotten through though,” Peter said.

“Has he ever been injured there?” Erica asked.

“He’s had spells backfire on him,” Peter sighed, “ he got pretty badly burned a while ago. He heals faster in animal form, so he stayed as a fox for a bit and I took care of him.”

“How long do you think it will be before he comes back?” Isaac asked.

“It could be weeks or it could be years. I don’t know,” Peter said honestly, “he learns fast, but he is just pure magick. It’s difficult for him to stay in control of all that power.”

Stiles soon figured out a way to come to the human world in a spirit form, his body still in the other dimension. He was mostly see through with pale blue skin and his voice echoed slightly. It prevented him from accidentally hurting anyone as he couldn’t use his magick.

It took some time for him to warm up to them, still recovering from the hurt of being rejected in such a way.

They worked hard to try and make it up to him. They knew he was never one to hold a grudge, but they also knew they had wounded him deeply.

Every time they saw him, he looked more and more worn down with new runes that were far more intricate. He assured them that he was okay, just tired from training, but both Derek and Peter knew the stress of trying to control himself was exhausting.

The two wolves visited him regularly and Stiles slowly started to let the Alpha closer to him. He was still wary, unsure of how to accept the kindness Derek was trying to show. Peter, thankfully, acted as a mediator whenever Stiles lashed out and made Derek have an aggressive response.

There were obviously some things Stiles wanted to say, but didn’t know how to. Despite having more confidence, he still struggled sometimes to express himself. He didn’t know how to explain all the pain and hurt he had gone through.   


Derek tried his best to listen and understand but he also firmly believed he had only had Stiles’ safety in mind. It caused a major disconnect between them at first. Derek knew what he did had hurt Stiles, but he still felt it was the best option at the time, not knowing his powers yet.

Derek only learned how seriously it impacted him through Peter. Obsidian had said something about Stiles almost taking his life, but Derek didn’t know he had actually tried three times and had been hurting himself regularly.

Derek saw the scars hidden beneath the runes and his stomach churned thinking about how much pain Stiles was in that would compel him to harm himself. Peter told him to not mention it as it upset Stiles, but he felt things bottling up inside of him.

It didn’t take long to notice new cuts starting to appear. Peter said he would talk to him about it, but they continued showing up.

“We need to talk about them,” Derek said when they were all together.

“No,” Stiles answered, knowing immediately what he meant.

“Stiles, it’s a problem,” Derek said.

“It’s  _ my _ problem to deal with, not yours,” Stiles shook his head.

“We are your mates and we’re worried about you,” Derek put a hand on Stiles’ thigh, but the teen pulled away like he’d been struck by lightning.

“Peter is officially my mate,” he snapped, “you and I are not bonded, and even if we were, you do  _ not  _ get to tell me what I can and can’t do with my body.”

“We’re just concerned for your safety,” Derek said, slightly angered that Peter wasn’t saying anything.

“I don’t need you to be,” Stiles stared him down, “I can take care of myself.”

“Obviously you can’t, since you were sent to a psych ward multiple times,” Derek responded.

Stiles’ eyes glowed gold and his whole body began to tremble. He turned around and walked out the door.

Derek tried to follow him, but Peter stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“He needs to get himself under control,” Peter said, “don’t make it worse. He needs to calm down. I told you not to bring it up.”

“We can’t just let him continue to hurt himself,” Derek pulled away.

“I have tried in every way possible to stop him, but he is convinced it helps ground him,” Peter shook his head, “let’s focus on finding other techniques for him to use instead of attacking him for the ones he has now.”

“I’m not  _ attacking  _ him, Peter,” Derek scowled, “I’m trying to keep him safe.”

“Your ideas of ‘keeping him safe’ are not working for him, okay?” Peter sucked his teeth, “Support him instead of going after him.”

Derek took a deep breath and nodded, looking to the door and waiting for Stiles to come back.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** TW: talk of self-harm and description of self-harm scars. Some smutty smut this chapter though along with caring Peter at the end of the chapter suggested by Kittykatkins <3

* * *

There was definitely some tension between Stiles and Derek the next couple times they saw each other. Peter tried to act as peacemaker, but there was only so much he could do as they were  _ the most _ stubborn people in all of Beacon Hills. Some days, they would get along really well, other days, Derek would say something that set Stiles off and the fighting began again.

After a particularly bad fight, Stiles didn’t return for days, which was only a matter of hours in the spirit world. Derek assumed he just needed time to cool down and Peter tried to visit the teen to see how he was doing only to find one of Stiles’ teachers, Clarissa, as the one to guide him to the hideout. When he got to the cottage, he saw Jethro taking care of Stiles in his fox form.

The warlock told Peter that Stiles had been too distracted by emotions and had gotten hurt during practice. The wolf helped take over caring for him and stayed in the spirit world for as he physically could before he started getting sick. Clarissa led him back down to the portal and Derek bombarded him with questions when he got home as he had been gone for over a week in the human world.

Peter explained everything that happened and Derek felt guilt pool in the pit of his stomach. When Peter was well enough, they both went to the spirit world, once again escorted by Clarissa.

Derek’s heart clenched when he saw Jethro pull a blanket off the tiny fox, who was curled up asleep with bandages around his chest and legs, all the way to his paws, his fluffy tail covering his nose.

“It might help him heal a little faster if he has physical contact with his Alpha,” Jethro said as he stroked Stiles’ head softly to wake him up and said, “I’m going to pick you up, okay?”

Stiles yawned and gave something that looked like a nod. Jethro slid his hands underneath Stiles and lifted him up as gently as possible, but it still drew a pained whimper from the injured fox. He also gave a confused sound when Jethro walked by Peter and went to hand him to Derek.

Stiles started wriggling when Derek took him and let out a bark followed by another pained sound.

“It’s okay,” Derek tried to calm him, but he only stopped when Peter came over and pet him.

“Just relax, sweetheart,” Peter said, “you’ll heal faster with him.”

Stiles went lax in his arms, letting out a little grumble. Derek sat down in the chair Stiles always used, holding the fox in his lap. He could feel Stiles shivering just before he lifted Derek’s shirt with a paw and nosed his way under it, resting against the man’s bare skin, soaking up the wolf’s body heat.

Derek let out a little chuckle, stroking Stiles through the fabric. His tail was the only thing sticking out and Derek played with the soft fur. Stiles let out a huff that Derek figured was him finally giving up and just going along with what was happening.

Derek really did try to hold himself back, but the opportunity to talk without Stiles being able to interrupt was too good to pass up.

“I know I make you mad a lot, but I care about you so much, Stiles,” Derek said, “you’ve always said I’m ‘emotionally constipated’, which is true. I don’t know how to express what I’m feeling the right way. I don’t know how to explain the way I want to help you and keep you safe without being controlling. I just don’t want to see you suffering or in pain.”

Stiles let out a sort of purring sound and popped his head through the neck of Derek’s shirt, nuzzling against him in the same way Derek wanted to scent him. They stayed there until Derek started feeling nauseous, still not as used to the world as Peter. 

Stiles seemed to be doing significantly better when Derek put him down as easily as possible. The fox walked in a circle, holding his right front leg up and limping before settling and curling up as he had been before. Peter put the blanket over him and gave a kiss on his soft forehead and stroked his large ears.

The Spark made a pleased chirp, rubbing against Peter’s hand. Derek approached to pet him too, moving slowly just in case Stiles didn’t want it.

“He says it’s okay,” Peter said, hearing Stiles through their bond.

Derek’s gentleness to avoid his injuries was such a contrast to his normal gruffness that it surprised Peter, and apparently Stiles too, who kept repeating the word “wow” to Peter.

When they returned to the human world, the Pack was asking questions about where Stiles was since he hadn’t visited in so long. Derek explained the situation, which obviously upset Isaac. He constantly asked Peter how Stiles was doing almost every hour until the older wolf got annoyed and said if something changed with Stiles, he would tell him first.

It was about another week before Stiles showed up again. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt, but Derek could see the bandages on his hands went under the shirt and up his arms. He sat very stiffly, back straight and Derek assumed the bandages around his chest and abdomen were still there.

He kept his right arm tucked close to his body as the force of the spell backfiring had fractured his collarbone and shoulder blade. 

“How are you feeling?” Isaac asked.

“I’m doing better,” Stiles said, “I’m healing pretty well. Gonna get back to practice soon.”

“You look really tired though,” Laura frowned, “you should be getting some more rest.”

He shrugged, but only one shoulder raised, indicating to Derek that he was not as healed as he said he was the last time they went to visit him. Derek shot Peter a look, slightly angered that the older man hadn’t told him, since he undoubtedly knew through their bond that Stiles was still severely injured.

It was incredibly frustrating that they couldn’t hear Stiles’ heart when he was in his spirit form. He could lie straight to their faces and they wouldn’t be able to tell. Peter was the only one who knew if he was lying or not, and Derek tried to figure out which it was based on his uncle’s reactions.

Stiles sat as close to Peter as possible, his injured side protected by the wolf, still not fully trusting the Pack. Not being at his best, Stiles was only able to stay for so long before his body began flickering, too weak to remain in the physical world.

Peter gave him a kiss goodbye before Stiles fully disappeared, ignoring the way Derek’s jaw clenched. Scott’s eyebrow also twitched, somewhat disapproving of the relationship considering their age gap. 

Every time Peter or Derek visited the spirit world, they were able to stay a little bit longer on each occasion. Having been going there way before Derek joined in, Peter was far more used to it and he taught him ways to help put off the sick feeling they would get after a while.

One day, after some heavy bickering between the Spark and the Alpha in the physical world, Peter went to the other world to see Stiles. The teen was there waiting for him at the other side of the portal and Peter immediately knew something was off.

Peter hugged him close, kissing the top of Stiles’ head.

“We’ll talk when we get to the hideout,” Peter said and Stiles nodded, leading him there.

When they arrived, Stiles maneuvered Peter until he was lying down on the couch with Stiles straddling and lying on top of him, resting his head on the wolf’s chest.

Peter stroked up and down his back, playing with his grown out hair. The older man took a deep breath, inhaling Stiles’ vanilla and strawberry scent, but there was the tinge of cinnamon that gave away the fact that Stiles was upset about something.

“What’s going on, darling?” Peter asked.

“I’m not doing well  _ at all _ and I just feel... unbalanced whenever I’m near Derek,” Stiles said quietly.

“I’m not surprised about that,” Peter said, “being near your mate but not being mated is taxing.”

“I can’t deal with him breathing down my neck anymore, P,” Stiles nuzzled against him, “I really can’t. It’ll only get worse if I mate to him. It’ll be ‘protective Alpha mode’ times a thousand.”

“I’ve been talking to him about that,” Peter said, “I think I’m getting through to him a little.”

“Didn’t sound like anything changed this morning when he kept saying I can’t take care of myself,” Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Did you hurt yourself when you got back here after the fight?” Peter asked after a moment.

“No,” Stiles said, “but I really wanted to.”

“What stopped you?” Peter questioned.

“Just thinking back to the last time you had to take care of me when I did it and how sad you looked,” Stiles mumbled.

“It does make me sad when I know you’re in pain,” Peter said, “I’m happy that you were able to keep yourself from doing it. I’m really proud of you, I know how much that must have taken. How are the other ones healing?”

“I haven’t paid as much attention to it as I should,” Stiles said, “they’re taking longer to heal than usual.”

“Well, most of your energy has been focused on the injuries you got from the backfire, and the last ones were pretty deep,” Peter said, “let me take a look.”

Stiles sat up and pulled up his left sleeve. Peter hid his grimace when he saw the not quite healed wounds among the burned runes.

“They definitely look better than they did before,” Peter pointed out, “do they hurt?”

“Only when I have to draw over them,” Stiles said.

Peter wrapped a hand around Stiles’ thin wrist and brought the Spark’s forearm to his lips, kissing the scars softly. Stiles’ eyes softened and he pouted, waiting for Peter to kiss him, which the older man happily obliged as he sat up.

Stiles tugged on Peter’s shirt, prompting the wolf to strip it off. He lifted Stiles’ shirt off too, taking care to be gentle with his still healing shoulder. Peter took a minute to admire his toned muscles and intricate runes that covered his body. He ran a hand along Stiles’ defined abs, remembering when Stiles was all pale skin and fragile bones.

“You’ve been working out more,” Peter observed.

“I don’t know how you can enjoy working out,” Stiles said, “it  _ sucks _ .”

Peter snorted a little laugh, leaning forward and nipping at the teen’s neck as he bared it in submission. The Beta would be lying if he said it didn’t feel good to have Stiles, who could easily overpower anyone, submit to him in such a way.

Stiles let out a soft moan as Peter marked his neck. He rolled his hips, drawing a growl from the wolf. The Spark reached down between them, unzipping Peter’s jeans. The older man suddenly lifted him up, carrying him to the largest bedroom and placed him down gently.

He made quick work of the rest of Stiles’ clothes, leaving him bare and exposed. Stiles leaned back on his elbows, spreading his legs enticingly. Peter stepped out of his jeans and got on the bed, pressing Stiles down as he kissed him again. The teen obviously wanted Peter to be rougher, but the wolf had other things in mind.

Stiles tried to sit up, but Peter used a hand around his throat to push him down.

“Stay,” Peter ordered. Stiles pouted again, but did what he was told, watching Peter carefully.

Peter trailed down Stiles’ body, leaving hickeys everywhere he could. He traced the raised runes on his chest with his tongue, knowing they were incredibly sensitive and enjoyed the sounds Stiles was making. 

The mark that had appeared on Stiles months prior that indicated he was a Spark lay directly above his heart and was the most sensitive of all. The teen let out a loud moan and squirmed as Peter licked it, hands coming up to thread his fingers through the Beta’s hair.

“Please,” Stiles whimpered, to no avail. Peter continued his teasing, loving the way the warlock fell apart underneath him. He never got tired of seeing Stiles in such a way, knowing no one else got to see him that way. He hoped, at some point, Derek would be able to experience it too, but until then, Peter had Stiles all to himself.

He could feel Stiles’ desperation through their bond and then the younger started lightly pulling on his hair, trying to get him to do more. Peter sat back and peered down at him, smiling at his handiwork of love bites.

“Peteeer,” Stiles whined.

“Patience,” Peter smirked, and felt a flash of annoyance on Stiles’ side of their connection.

“I’ve been patient,” Stiles said, “I want you already!”

“I’ve spoiled you too much,” Peter tutted, “what happened to my sweet baby boy?”

“He’s fucking horny now!” Stiles groaned.

Peter chuckled, but understood his frustration. Being so far away from each other left them desperate for physical contact when they were alone together, which was even more infrequent now that Derek sometimes visited.

Peter reached over to the bedside table and pulled out the nearly empty bottle of lube.

“You’ve been having some fun without me,” Peter observed.

“Well, a dildo can’t beat the real thing,” Stiles stroked himself languidly, glancing down at Peter’s dick.

Peter knew it wasn’t actually necessary to prep Stiles. His magick immediately adjusted his body to suit his mate and Stiles was even able to change his sex if he wanted, but Peter enjoyed the intimacy of opening him up.

The wolf poured some lube on his fingers before circling Stiles’ hole. He waited until the teen’s muscles were more relaxed before he pushed a finger in, pumping in and out. He slipped in a second finger, scissoring them and curling them to rub against the bundle of nerves before pushing in a third one.

“Please,” Stiles gasped, “I need you.”

Peter pulled out his fingers and slicked his cock with lube. He put a pillow under Stiles’ hips and positioned himself before slowly starting to push in. The Spark’s body practically welcomed him, allowing him to bottom out in a single smooth move.

“You feel so good,” Peter ran a hand up Stiles’ side as he began to thrust.

Again, he knew Stiles wanted him to be rough, but he wanted to draw things out.

“Peter,  _ fuck _ me,” Stiles pleaded.

The Beta ignored him and continued his slow, steady pace. Every thrust brushed against Stiles’ prostate and the boy’s moans gradually rose in pitch as he got close. Stiles’ back arched as he came and he drew a low groan from Peter as he tightened around his dick.

Peter fucked him through his orgasm, leaning down to kiss him and swallow up his sounds. He pushed Stiles’ knees up towards his chest, allowing him to go even deeper. Stiles raked his nails down Peter’s back, desperate to ground himself as he was pushed into the realm of overstimulation.

The wolf finally started to speed up, strengthening his thrusts. Stiles cried out against his lips, throwing his head back and chanting Peter’s name. Peter sat up and grabbed Stiles’ hips, holding him in place as he pounded into him.

Strong thighs clenched around Peter’s waist and the Beta felt the familiar pleasurable warmth soaking into him as Stiles’ runes glowed gold as the Spark orgasmed again with a shout. Peter’s pace faltered and he buried himself as deep as possible, cumming hard inside of him.

Peter watched as Stiles’ golden eyes flickered back to their normal whiskey colour as he came down from his high. The feeling of Stiles’ magick in his body started to fade and Peter immediately started to miss it.

“I swear, I’m getting addicted to when you do that,” Peter kissed him softly, “it feels incredible. What is it like for you?”

Stiles hissed slightly as Peter pulled out, not wanting to crush him with his weight. He turned on his back, opening his arm for Stiles to lay on his chest. The younger snuggled in close, finally catching his breath.

“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Stiles said, “it’s like all of your nerves are connected to mine. I feel every part of you, but like, in me, I guess? I don’t think there’s a way I can properly tell you what it’s like.”

“I remember the first time you did it when we officially bonded,” Peter chuckled, “I came harder than I ever have in my entire life.”

“Same, especially with you knotting me,” Stiles practically purred at the memory.

“I like when we’re holding hands and you get happy or excited about something and I can feel your magick,” Peter said fondly, trailing his fingertips up and down Stiles’ flank.

“I wonder what Derek would say about it,” Stiles pondered out loud.

“He has no idea what he’s missing out on,” Peter said, “he doesn’t get to enjoy being with the most amazing person he has ever or will ever meet.”

Stiles raised himself enough to kiss Peter, flooding their bond with feelings of happiness and love.


	5. Chapter 5

Peter returned to the human world sometime after and unlocked his apartment only to find Derek sitting on the couch.

“What are you doing here?” Peter asked.

“I messaged you to ask you to take me with you to see Stiles,” Derek said, “your phone is off.”

“I couldn’t have brought you even if I saw that message,” Peter shook his head and went to his kitchen to make a drink that he had found helped with the nausea he always got after leaving the other world.

“Why not?” Derek stood up with a frown.   


“Did you forget that you fought with him earlier?” Peter raised a brow.

“I just can’t get him to understand that I’m only trying to keep him safe,” Derek sighed.

“Derek, I cannot comprehend how you are still saying this!” Peter suddenly snapped, “do you not realize that  _ you  _ are the one hurting him? You think you know what he needs, but you’re not paying attention to what he wants! An Alpha’s mate is their equal and you are not treating him as such. They have the same amount of authority in a Pack and they are just as powerful! In fact, Stiles is more powerful than you or I or anyone else will ever be!”

“Peter, he’s mentally unstable,” Derek growled.

“Which you are the main contributor too,” Peter stirred his drink, “he’s not even getting upset about his magick anymore. He’s controlling it just fine when he’s in a clear state of mind. The only meltdowns he’s been having are because of  _ you _ ! You are invalidating him and his emotions, Derek. Every time he starts building confidence, you tear him down and make him question himself.”

Derek seemed to be at a loss for words as Peter took a sip of his drink.

“He is more than capable of protecting himself physically,” Peter said, “he does not need you looming over him every second.”

“How am I supposed to help him?” Derek asked.

“You don’t ‘help’ him,” Peter tutted, “you support him. Stiles needs an Alpha to anchor him and support him when he is upset, not an Alpha that is the one that makes him upset. The way you are acting towards him now is  _ toxic _ . It is the primary thing making him not only unstable, but sick. You need to learn how to control your instincts.”

“Sick in what way?” Derek frowned.

“You two are not bonded,” he responded, “for someone like Stiles, being around his mate but not being bonded is draining, mentally and physically.”

“Why don’t we just mate now?” Derek asked.

“Because Stiles doesn’t trust you,” Peter looked at him like he just said the stupidest thing ever, “he also knows that Alphas usually get more protective after bonding and you are  _ already _ overprotective. You need to do some faith building for him to start opening up to you. You don’t know how much you hurt him with the things you say.” 

“When do you think he’ll come back here?” Derek sat down at the stool by the peninsula of the kitchen.

“Whenever he wants,” Peter shrugged, “he’ll let me know when.”

“You can’t tell him to come?” Derek questioned.

Peter took a deep breath to calm himself, “Derek, Stiles is not at your beck and call. He spent his entire time in the Pack doing whatever people told him to. If they wanted to go on a date, they gave Stiles the research to do. If they didn’t want to do something, they piled it on to him and not  _ once _ did he ever say no. You forfeited that loyalty and you do not get to make decisions for him, including when he will or won’t come here.”

Before Derek could respond, Peter picked up his drink and walked away and to his bedroom, leaving the Alpha to stew in his thoughts.

* * *

A few days later, Derek noticed Peter seemed agitated. He was quiet, but pacing around with a solemn look while the Pack was together in the Hale manor.

Derek followed him out of the room and into the library, scowling when he saw the older man sitting with his head in his hands.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I lost contact with him,” Peter pinched between his brows.

“What do you mean?” Derek questioned concernedly. 

“I felt him through our bond and then suddenly it’s so faint, I can barely feel him,” Peter said, “I sent a flare message to Rojan and Clarissa and they’re looking for him because he’s not at the cottage and he’s not in the mushroom forest where he goes a lot.”

“They don’t know any other place he might be?” Derek sat down next to him.

Peter shook his head, “I can feel he’s alive, he’s just… I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if he’s gone into a realm that he’s having trouble getting back from or if he maybe just decided he wanted to be alone and went exploring. There are some places that no one should go to, even someone as strong as him.”

“Why would he leave without telling anyone?” Derek asked.

“He just does that sometimes,” Peter said, “when he wants space, he just goes. He doesn’t really announce it. He’ll occasionally tell me things like ‘I’ll be back later’, but usually he just puts up something like a wall on our bond, so I can’t really feel his emotions.”

“That doesn’t annoy you that he just cuts you out randomly?” Derek inquired.

“Stiles doesn’t do it maliciously,” Peter ran a hand over the scruff on his cheeks, “he’s a private person. He already was before, but even more so now. I understand that when he needs to be on his own, he needs to be on his own and I trust him to let me know if he needs help.”

There was a noise that sounded like electrical sparking and Derek looked around the room until he found the cause from a very tiny, strange ceramic square on the table.

“What the hell is that?” Derek asked.

“It’s what receives and sends flare messages,” Peter said, picking up the small rolled piece of paper that suddenly appeared.

He opened it up and scanned over it with a frown before he read it to Derek.

“Stiles went into something called a ‘pocket dimension’,” he said.

“What does that mean?” 

“Each pocket is a different world. Some are filled with spirits, others have monsters, and some are empty,” Peter repeated what was written, “they don’t know which he’s gone into and they have no way of communicating with him or bringing him out of it, he has to figure his way out on his own.”

“And if he can’t find his way out?” Derek felt worry building in his chest.

“I don’t know, Derek,” Peter said quietly, “we just have to hope he can.”

The two returned to the rest of the Pack, who questioned them about their body language. They didn’t share details besides that Stiles had gone to a different realm and they were waiting for him to return.

A few hours later, Peter sat bolt up straight, surprising Cora who was sitting next to him.

“Is he back?” Derek asked.

“Yes, but it feels weird,” Peter scowled.

“Weird how?” Scott asked.

“It’s just  _ weird _ ,” Peter said, “I don’t know how else to explain it.”

“Is he hurt? Is he scared? Is he saying anything to you?” Derek pressed him.

Peter held up his hand to stop him from talking so he could focus.

“He’s not making sense,” Peter said after a moment, “I’m gonna go there.”

“I’ll come too,” Derek stood up with him.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Peter shook his head as he grabbed his coat and pulled out his keys.

“Why not?” Derek immediately got defensive.

“Because he is not  _ making sense _ ,” Peter said, “the last thing he needs is the possibility of  _ any _ kind of provocation if he’s not in a right state of mind.”

“I’m not going to hurt him,” Derek said sternly.

“It’s not  _ his _ safety I’m worried about,” Peter glanced at him, “I can handle the self-destructiveness, I can’t be responsible for looking after you too. I will talk to you about it when I get back, but right now, I need to focus on him.”

Peter made sure the flare message plate was in his pocket before he walked out the door. Derek could feel his fangs start poking out, anger and frustration starting to get the best of him. He heard someone begin speaking, but he left the room before he could snap, knowing it wouldn’t help anything.

* * *

As soon as Peter approached the tree stump, he saw the air above it start to ripple and split open. He stepped up and felt everything spin around him, far more severe than the previous times.

He fell to the ground to regain his senses and Clarissa helped him up.

“Why was that one so bad?” he winced.

“Sometimes, with a bond like yours, you can accidentally flood the connection with more than just emotions” she said, “if he’s feeling off-centered, you can end up feeling off-centered too and vice versa.”

“How bad is he?” Peter asked as he stayed close to her when they began heading to the cottage.

“Well, he’s not good,” Clarissa said, “we asked him what happened and what he saw, but he’s just been mumbling to himself and he looks horrible.”

“Is he injured?” Peter questioned.

“I only saw a couple cuts, but he’s absolutely covered in some sort of weird substance and wouldn’t let us change his clothing or anything,” she put a little more effort into the shield around them as a figure brushed against it.

Peter was anxious the entire track to the cottage, noticing more and more strange sensations in the bond.

Clarissa opened the rock wall and Peter was shocked to see that the bright green grass was dead and dry, an ugly brown colour. The creek that ran by the house was turned to mud and the fish-like creatures that were in it were belly-up on the surface. The garden of plants that Stiles had created was shrivelled up and emitted a horrific smell.

The normally bright light of the sun he made was a deep red and there was a dark mist swirling around everywhere making it a little hard to breathe.

“Jesus, what the Hell happened?” Peter could barely register all of the devastation surrounding him.

“Whatever negative energy he has right now is leaking into the area around him,” Clarissa responded.

Peter tried to walk up the stone path, but his foot began to sink through and he looked down to see the rock bubbling like boiling water.

“Try walking on the grass instead,” Clarissa suggested.

It took some time for them to reach the door as they tracked through the muck and when Peter opened the door, a blast of cold air washed over him. He walked in cautiously, his breath visible in the freezing temperature.

Stiles was sitting stiff on the couch, staring into space like he was catatonic. He was absolutely covered in what looked like a strange black goo. Rojan was sitting in a chair in front of him, trying to talk to him, but it seemed like Stiles wasn’t hearing anything.

“Let Peter talk to him,” Clarissa said.

Rojan got up for Peter to take his seat. As soon as Peter was in his line of sight, Stiles met his gaze and the wolf felt a chill when he noticed the darkness behind his eyes.

“Sweetheart,” Peter said softly, “I’m gonna get you cleaned up, okay?”

Stiles said nothing, continuing to stare at him. Peter tentatively reached forward and placed a hand on the teen’s thigh, but Stiles didn’t react at all.

“Can one of you fill the bath?” Peter asked the two mages who were standing by and watching.

“Yes, I’ll do it,” Clarissa said, heading towards the hallway.

Peter kept speaking to him, trying to get through to his mate until Clarissa returned a few minutes later and told him it was ready.

“I’m going to lift you, alright?” Peter slid his arms under Stiles’. He was going to pick him up bridal style, but once Stiles was on his feet, he was able to walk on his own.

Peter led him to the bathroom where he slowly began to undress the younger, looking closely for any sign the Spark was getting agitated. Once Stiles was stripped down, Peter was able to see the true extent of the damage to his body when he saw long claw marks down his entire chest and abdomen. Thankfully, they were already partially healed, but Peter took note to address them later.

He helped the boy into the warm water that had bubbles, setting him down gently. Peter got on his knees beside the copper clawfoot tub and took off his shirt and placed it to the clean clothes Clarissa had left, knowing he would probably get splashed. He was thankful of his werewolf body heat as he would have been shivering if he was human.

Peter took his time cleaning Stiles thoroughly with a cloth, talking to him the whole time to let him know what he was going to do and where he was going to touch so he wouldn’t accidentally startle him.

“Dark,” Stiles suddenly said in a flat tone.

“Dark?” Peter repeated.

“Dark, no light,” Stiles said.

“Do you want me to turn the light off?” Peter asked confusedly.

“No.”

“Where you went was dark?” Peter questioned.

“Yes.”

“Are you in pain?"

“No.”

Peter massaged shampoo into Stiles’ hair, adding more to help remove the black substance. He cupped a hand above Stiles’ eyes to prevent soap from getting in them as he poured water over his head.

Once his body and hair was washed, Peter took a clean cloth and added a softer soap.

“Can you look at me, darling?” Peter asked.

Stiles slowly turned his head, and once again, Peter felt a chill that was not caused by the cold air when he saw his eyes. He gently started cleaning his face, taking care with the cuts on his cheek.

“I need you to tell me what happened,” Peter said, “I’m worried about you.”

“My soul,” Stiles whispered.

“What happened to your soul?” Peter frowned.

“They took it… I got it back.”

“How did they take it?” the wolf questioned.

“They ripped it out,” Stiles ran a hand over the marks on his chest.

“How did you get it back?”

“I killed them,” he said quietly, staring at his hands.

“What were they?” the older man questioned.

“I don’t know,” Stiles said.

“Did you see them in the dark?”

“Red eyes,” the teen’s jaw clenched, “red eyes, yellow teeth... I felt them rip it out.”

“You’re safe now,” Peter assured him, “you have your soul.”

“I can feel them inside,” Stiles shook his head, “they came back with me.”

Peter’s blood ran colder than the room around him and he struggled to find words.

“Clary and Rojan can help you,” the Beta said after a moment, “they can help you.”

Stiles didn’t respond and Peter lifted him out of the water, drying him off and dressing him quickly even though Stiles had no reaction to the temperature around him.

Peter walked him to the living room where the mages were starting a fire in the fireplace. Obsidian and Selenite were right next to them, seeking warmth. He placed Stiles down in his favourite seat and repeated exactly what the teen had said.

Rojan and Clarissa looked at each other concernedly.

“We’re going to need some extra help.”


End file.
